PR card expired while living in Europe. Need renewed PR or first time passport options please.

[mi75]

Hello all,
My family and I were posted last July for my wife's job with the military. My PR card is now expired. I am in the process of job interviews with the Canadian military and need a valid PR card or even a first time expedited passport.

Can anyone help with me options? I have called and emailed the embassies in multiple countries nearby. I am waiting to hear back from some of them.

1. I cannot apply for a renewal of a PR card from outside of Canada.
2. A PRTD I believe won't be accepted as an official document for work purposes. (Someone please correct me if so.)
3. I might be going back to Canada this summer to visit family, then to renew my PR card, but I would be out of the country when it arrives. Even so, I would lose out on the job offers currently.

Thank you for your responses.

 

[scylla]

Hello all,
My family and I were posted last July for my wife's job with the military. My PR card is now expired. I am in the process of job interviews with the Canadian military and need a valid PR card or even a first time expedited passport.

Can anyone help with me options? I have called and emailed the embassies in multiple countries nearby. I am waiting to hear back from some of them.

1. I cannot apply for a renewal of a PR card from outside of Canada.
2. A PRTD I believe won't be accepted as an official document for work purposes. (Someone please correct me if so.)
3. I might be going back to Canada this summer to visit family, then to renew my PR card, but I would be out of the country when it arrives. Even so, I would lose out on the job offers currently.

Thank you for your responses.

1. Correct.
2. Wrong. Anyone who is outside of Canada without a valid PR card can apply for a PRTD. Make sure you meet the residency requirement when you apply and also have a valid passport.

I'm not sure what you mean by an expediated passport in the first part of your post. Do you mean a Canadian passport?

 

[scylla]

Hello all,
My family and I were posted last July for my wife's job with the military. My PR card is now expired. I am in the process of job interviews with the Canadian military and need a valid PR card or even a first time expedited passport.

Can anyone help with me options? I have called and emailed the embassies in multiple countries nearby. I am waiting to hear back from some of them.

1. I cannot apply for a renewal of a PR card from outside of Canada.
2. A PRTD I believe won't be accepted as an official document for work purposes. (Someone please correct me if so.)
3. I might be going back to Canada this summer to visit family, then to renew my PR card, but I would be out of the country when it arrives. Even so, I would lose out on the job offers currently.

Thank you for your responses.

Just to add, if you are asking about a Canadian passport, that is not feasible since you are a PR. You would need to become a Canadian citizen first which is a multi-month process and which requires you to take a citizenship oath in Canada. This won't happen by summer.

 

[mi75]

Hello, thank you for your reply.

For #2, I meant will the PRTD be accepted as an official document by the Canadian military for work purposes. I only believe they accept a PR card or Canadian passport. I have met the residency requirements and have my US passport.

For the expedited passport, yes I meant a Canadian passport. I didn't know if the Canadian Embassy offices in The Netherlands, Germany, Belgium or France provide expedited passport services.

 

[mi75]

Right, that is correct I was overlooking that somehow. Thank you. The passport route will take a long time according to current timelines.

So since there are no Embassies in Europe that deal with the renewal of PR cards, my only option is the PRTD for now. Then wait until going back to Canada to apply for my PR card renewal? But then I will be back in Europe by the time it arrives in Canada.

 

[scylla]

Hello, thank you for your reply.

For #2, I meant will the PRTD be accepted as an official document by the Canadian military for work purposes. I only believe they accept a PR card or Canadian passport. I have met the residency requirements and have my US passport.

For the expedited passport, yes I meant a Canadian passport. I didn't know if the Canadian Embassy offices in The Netherlands, Germany, Belgium or France provide expedited passport services.

Ah - understood. I hightly doubt the PRTD will be accepted as an official document by the Canadian military. It is a temporary travel document and not a PR card. You will need to ask them but I think the answer is likely no on the PRTD.

You aren't a Canadian citizens so a Canadian passport is not at all possible. First step is to apply for Canadian citizenship. Processing times are around 1.5 to 2 years right now. Once the citizenship application is approved, you would need to take the citizenship oath in Canada. Only then would you qualify for a Canadian passport.

 

[scylla]

Right, that is correct I was overlooking that somehow. Thank you. The passport route will take a long time according to current timelines.

So since there are no Embassies in Europe that deal with the renewal of PR cards, my only option is the PRTD for now. Then wait until going back to Canada to apply for my PR card renewal? But then I will be back in Europe by the time it arrives in Canada.

There are no embassies anywhere that deal with PR card renewals. They are processed within Canada. You would need to return to Canada to apply for the PR card and have it mailed to someone you know in Canada (IRCC will not mail a PR card outside of Canada). Processing time + mailing time is around 2.5-3 months right now. Your friend or family member in Canada can then courier the PR card to you outside of Canada.

To fly back to Canada, you need a PRTD. Alternatively, you can fly to the US and then re-enter Canada through a land border using a private vehicle. That is the other option.

 

[mi75]

Correct. Thank you for all the information. I knew of the crossing through a land border using a private vehicle. Yes, I figured so about the PRTD not being an official document. Thank you again for all your answers.

Well, I am definitely stuck then. Is there a possibility of having a family member or lawyer officially submit my application inside of Canada?

 

[scylla]

Correct. Thank you for all the information. I knew of the crossing through a land border using a private vehicle. Yes, I figured so about the PRTD not being an official document. Thank you again for all your answers.

Well, I am definitely stuck then. Is there a possibility of having a family member or lawyer officially submit my application inside of Canada?

I'm not aware of that being possible since you are the one who signs the application.

 

[mi75]

Fair enough. Thank you again for all your prompt answers and information! I appreciate it very much. Have a nice day.

 

[canuck78]

Many jobs with the Canadian military require Canadian citizenship so applying for Canadian citizenship should be the priority. Have you met the residency requirement in Canada to qualify to apply for citizenship? Is this a NATO job? If so your US citizenship and Canadian PR may be fine.

 

[mi75]

Hello,

Thank you for the reply. Yes, once I renew my PR card, applying for Canadian citizenship is definitely right after. I have met the residency requirement in Canada to qualify.

The job is on the NATO base, but only available specifically for Canadians. So they need either a valid PR card or valid Canadian passport.

 

[scylla]

Hello,

Thank you for the reply. Yes, once I renew my PR card, applying for Canadian citizenship is definitely right after. I have met the residency requirement in Canada to qualify.

The job is on the NATO base, but only available specifically for Canadians. So they need either a valid PR card or valid Canadian passport.

A Canadian passport is 1.5 to 2 years away for you. So the PR card is the only option for you in the shorter term.

 

[mi75]

Correct. Unfortunately it looks like the only way to renew my PR card is to fly back to Canada, then apply from inside Canada. Will have to figure out that scenario since there were no plans to go back in the near future.

I was just hoping there was a European office that could do it and/or be able to apply from outside of Canada.